Amritsar records 30-year high at 48 degrees Celsius

The Sikh holy city of Amritsar Thursday recorded its highest temperature in over three decades with the mercury hitting a high of 48 degrees Celsius as severe heat wave conditions prevailed over Punjab and Haryana.

The temperature in Amritsar was a whopping nine degrees Celsius above what is the average for this time of the season, Met department officials said.

As per data with the local administration in Amritsar, the highest recorded temperature in the city was 47.7 degrees Celsius on May 21, 1978.

People in the city, 250 km from here, and adjoining areas preferred to stay indoors with the searing heat wave sweeping the the plains of Punjab.

The weather office here said that heat wave continued unabated across Punjab and Haryana Thursday with most places showing highs of 44 to 48 degrees Celsius.

In Punjab, Ludhiana and Patiala recorded highs of 46.5 and 45.9 degrees respectively, while at most places in the state the temperatures were up to eight degrees above the season's average.

In neighbouring Haryana, Hisar again recorded a high of 47.3 degrees Celsius, followed by Bhiwani and Narnaul at 46 degrees each.

Chandigarh airport touched a high of 44.6 degrees. The city saw a high of 43.8 degrees.

Met officials said there was no likelihood of any abatement of the severe heat wave conditions soon.